GamersHeroes Monday, February 24, 2025 3:30 PM Don't know what Steam Next Fest games to play? Gamers Heroes has got you covered with 20 Steam Next Fest 2025 demos you must play - no multipage clickthrough required. The post 20 Steam Next Fest February 2025 Demos You Must Play appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Monday, February 24, 2025 3:11 PM Players will set out to Escape the Glitch when Big Fan, Bithell Games, and Disney Games' TRON: Catalyst comes out for PC and consoles June 17. The post TRON: Catalyst Launching June 17 appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Monday, February 24, 2025 1:59 PM A three day event dedicated to the appreciation of video game music, gaming, and the greater gaming community, MAGWest 2025 is returning to San Jose from August 8-10, 2025. The post MAGWest 2025 Returning to San Jose August 8-10 appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Monday, February 24, 2025 1:39 PM Now available as part of Steam Next Fest, fans can check out a demo of Croteam and Devolver Digital's The Talos Principle: Reawakened - complete with a fully operational level editor with support for complete episodes! The post The Talos Principle: Reawakened Steam Next Fest Demo Now Live appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Monday, February 24, 2025 1:12 PM The world of Gods & Demons is getting that much bigger with a new update that brings a new dungeon, a new hero, Elena, and various in-game events. The post Major Gods & Demons Update Now Available appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Monday, February 24, 2025 11:41 AM Featuring a handcrafted pixel art symphony, Ritual Studios and Playdigious announced that a demo of Fretless - The Wrath of Riffson is now available as part of Steam Next Fest. The post Turn-Based RPG Fretless – The Wrath of Riffson Demo Now Available appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
GamersHeroes Monday, February 24, 2025 11:13 AM The latest trailer for TAMSOFT and Bandai Namco's BLEACH Rebirth of Souls puts the spotlight on Coyote Starrk. The post BLEACH Rebirth of Souls Coyote Starrk Character Trailer Released appeared first on GamersHeroes. |
Kotaku Monday, February 24, 2025 5:45 PM  It's looking like a good Game Pass harvest this year, especially because Microsoft's backlog of big first-party Xbox games like Doom: The Dark Ages and Fable are coming in 2025. But tons of other cool stuff is headed to the subscription service as well, and a bunch of them were announced during the company's ID@Xbox… |
Kotaku Monday, February 24, 2025 4:55 PM  DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran recently gave a big update on the future of the DCU—the rebooted DC film universe that kicks off with Gunn's Superman later this year—and confirmed that they have a six-year plan that includes a big Avengers-like movie event. |
Kotaku Monday, February 24, 2025 4:00 PM  In March 2022 Mohammad Fahmi, creator of the chill, acclaimed narrative game Coffee Talk, tragically died at the young age of 32. Three months prior, he'd revealed his next game, Afterlove EP, a rhythm-narrative adventure game about carrying on after losing a loved one. Three years later, the game has been brought… |
Kotaku Monday, February 24, 2025 3:20 PM  Whelp, I've got a song stuck in my head and its a weird (but great) one: It's the cooking giraffe's ditty fromthe debut trailer for To A T which premiered during Annapurna Interactive's 2025 publisher showcase. |
Kotaku Monday, February 24, 2025 1:50 PM  Indie superhit Balatro no longer has the same Pan European Game Information (PEGI) rating as Grand Theft Auto V in Europe. Last year the card game received the adult PEGI 18+ rating due to its poker gameplay and rules. But thanks to a successful appeal, Balatro's rating has been lowered to PEGI 12+. |
Kotaku Monday, February 24, 2025 1:40 PM  It was announced last week that video game artist Viktor Antonov had died at the unreasonably young age of 52. With stints working at big-name studios like Valve and Arkane, Antonov's work was a key part of some of the most loved games of all time. It was his unmistakable style that defined Half-Life 2's City 17 and Di… |
Kotaku Monday, February 24, 2025 12:55 PM  The best Star Wars TV show ever returns in just a few months and Disney has released a new teaser to celebrate. The Andor season 2 trailer shows that the rebellion is taking shape with more galaxy-spanning guerrilla warfare and the construction of the Death Star nearing completion. Also Diego Luna's titular freedom… |
Kotaku Monday, February 24, 2025 12:15 PM  Role-playing games are known to be lengthy adventures that can keep you busy for weeks, months, or years, some totalling well over 100 hours. As such, it's not surprising you'd want to know just how long you'll be spending in Obsidian Entertainment's newest RPG, Avowed, and whether it's worth your time and money. If… |
Kotaku Monday, February 24, 2025 12:10 PM  It looks like at least a few people have got their hands on physical copies of Assassin's Creed Shadows ahead of the game's official March 20 launch. Reportedly, one player streamed themselves playing the next entry in Ubisoft's long-running franchise online. (No spoilers are included below.) |
Kotaku Monday, February 24, 2025 11:40 AM  A giant rooster that sets a desert sea on fire every time it brushes its beautiful but deadly tail feathers. A toad-like octopus that sends mini-tidal waves roiling through a thick jungle forest as it flops around like a violent puppy. These and other majestic creatures I've killed dozens of times in Monster Hunter… |
PCGamesN Monday, February 24, 2025 5:31 PM  Making the switch from bikes to boards (and whatever other extreme ways of getting around its developers can think of) Descenders Next is an extremely ambitious and intriguing sequel to the brilliant downhill cycling game, Descenders. Launching into Game Pass on day one and offering huge variation with its procedurally generated zones, Descenders Next sounds like it's got a lot of the right ingredients to succeed. After featuring in today's ID@Xbox showcase, we also now know exactly when it'll be releasing, and while you wait, there's a demo for you to play right away. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best sports games, Best multiplayer games, Best Game Pass games |
PCGamesN Monday, February 24, 2025 5:24 PM  In the simulation driving game RoadCraft, you'll pilot a fleet of construction vehicles and heavy machinery to clear roads, supply worksites, and rebuild infrastructure in the wake of natural disasters. First, you'll hop in a scout vehicle to offroad over treacherous terrain and assess the damage. Then, you'll drive bulldozes and cranes to clear debris and replace infrastructure. There's more than just being in the driver's seat though - you'll manage resources and convoys to make your recovery efforts as cost-efficient as possible. Placing sand, asphalt, and wood, you can plot new routes and build new bridges to isolated communities. It's a layered, realistic simulation of disaster and recovery, and as part of Steam Next Fest you can try it right now with up to three of your friends. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best simulation games, Best sandbox games, Best building games |
PCGamesN Monday, February 24, 2025 5:26 PM  Co-op "raidlike" 33 Immortals has a hell of a hook, literally. You play as one of 33 damned souls fighting their way up through the layers of the afterlife. It aspires to the thrill of MMO raids, but without the hassle of finding a group or spending hundreds of hours getting the right equipment. You can also get your dirty hands on it soon, because 33 Immortals will launch in early access in just a few weeks. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best roguelike games, Best co-op games, Best MMORPGs |
PCGamesN Monday, February 24, 2025 3:06 PM  In the mountain of copycats released since From Software's titanic Dark Souls series, Lies of P is a cut above. It impressed even those bewildered by its peculiar premise: a tragic, steampunk run at the classic children's story Pinocchio. Impressively made and shockingly deep, Lies of P struck a place of its own in a crowded field. Now, in just a few months, we'll be getting more of it, in a snowy prequel DLC called Overture. Continue reading Lies of P Overture DLC takes the hit soulslike to a winter hellscape MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best RPGs, Best fantasy games, Best soulslikes |
PCGamesN Monday, February 24, 2025 2:14 PM  Balatro recently celebrated its first birthday, and despite millions of players getting hooked on its satisfying, roguelike gameplay, it's just opened itself up to millions more. While its modest price has always made it super affordable to pick up, Game Pass subscribers now have zero excuses for playing one of the best indie games ever. That's right - in a surprise announcement, Balatro has just been added to Game Pass. Oh, and its next collection of cards has been revealed too, featuring crossovers with Fallout, Civilization, Assassin's Creed, and more. Continue reading Out of nowhere, Balatro has just hit Game Pass MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best roguelike games, Best card games, Best new PC games |
PCGamesN Monday, February 24, 2025 2:30 PM  It feels like videogames are slowly but surely beginning to embrace the strange again. As audiences tire of the traditional triple-A open-world fare, there's an appetite for weirdness: take 2024's Indika or Thank Goodness You're Here, for example, or the upcoming Promise Mascot Agency. Hotel Barcelona, the brainchild of Deadly Premonition's Hidetaka 'Swery' Suehiro and Killer7's Goichi 'Suda51' Suda is set to be yet another installment in the 'what the hell did I just play?' canon, thrusting you into the titular hotel for a chaotic, slasher-inspired adventure turned acid trip. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best roguelike games, Best horror games, Best co-op games |
PCGamesN Monday, February 24, 2025 2:00 PM  Everyone was disappointed when they found out that Starfield wouldn't have seamless space travel. Maybe it's a technical gripe, but it does mess with the rhythm - the dream of the space game is being able to course through the galaxy, touch down on a distant planet, explore on foot, and then jet off again all in one operatic motion. It's not an RPG. Its world isn't as big. But Jump Ship, the upcoming co-op shooter from Keepsake Games, is built around this kind of flow. Sometimes you're in dogfights like No Man's Sky and Elite Dangerous. Other times, it's all about keeping your ship online, a la FTL. And then of course you have the co-op raids. Jump Ship could be very special indeed. And thankfully, you can try it yourself soon. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best FPS games, Best co-op games, Best space games |
PCGamesN Monday, February 24, 2025 12:59 PM  4X games like Stellaris and Sins of a Solar Empire have long transfixed me. Their massive scale is not only a battleground, but a storytelling canvas. The only problem is that they take forever. If you are an adult with an actual life, how can you find dozens of hours to give to building a space superpower? Luckily, Hyper Empire is here to fill in the gap, promising all the tactical decision-making and strategic mind games of a classic 4X in 40 minutes or less. The full release will come later this year, but you can pick up the demo as part of Steam Next Fest right now. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best turn-based strategy games, Best 4X games, Best space games |
PCGamesN Monday, February 24, 2025 12:32 PM  An unusual Steam Deck conversion has just been unveiled online, turning the popular handheld gaming PC into a very small console. This ultra-thin design removes the screen and battery from Valve's handheld, incorporating the motherboard and fan into a cleverly designed, 3D-printed chassis. The Steam Deck remains the best gaming handheld PC you can buy right now, with the emphasis on the word handheld, because removing the screen and battery turns this Deck into a very different Steam-powered gaming console for your TV instead. With recent Valve console rumors seeming more like wishful thinking, at least for the time being, this concept offers an intriguing look at what a modern Steam Machine might look like. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Monday, February 24, 2025 12:21 PM  Nvidia is facing a growing manufacturing issue with its latest graphics cards. Reports of at least one Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 card with missing render output units (ROPs) have surfaced, coming just days after Nvidia confirmed that only a supposedly limited number of RTX 5090 and RTX 5070 Ti cards were affected. While these new Nvidia GPUs are now among the best graphics cards you can buy, this growing manufacturing issue adds to a series of problems the company has been facing since it launched its new GPU lineup, from melting RTX 5090 power cables to near-zero stock availability across the board. Given that Nvidia only confirmed the first two cards in its earlier statement, it's possible that this manufacturing crisis is a bigger problem than the company first thought. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Nvidia RTX 5090 review, Nvidia RTX 5080 review, Best graphics cards |
PCGamesN Monday, February 24, 2025 12:24 PM  European videogame rating system PEGI has officially rescinded its 18 label for Balatro, after complaints were lodged with the board concerning its relationship to gambling. PEGI now says the poker-themed roguelike contains "mitigating fantastical elements" that warrant an age rating of 12 or above instead. Continue reading New Balatro rating means it's no longer only suitable for adults MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best roguelike games, Best card games, Best new PC games |
PCGamesN Monday, February 24, 2025 11:49 AM  Is Monster Hunter Wilds Steam Deck compatible? Valve's handheld struggled to run Monster Hunter Wilds during beta phases and, given that the recently released benchmark tool isn't offering any hope of optimized performance, all signs suggest this is one game that isn't suited to the Steam Deck. The Monster Hunter Wilds system requirements are notable for requiring upscaling to be used to hit 60fps at 1080p, even if you meet the minimum demands. This leaves the Steam Deck in a tricky spot, as the smaller base screen resolution and a forced reliance on AMD FSR means a combination of great performance and visuals may be a pipe dream, for now. Continue reading Is Monster Hunter Wilds Steam Deck compatible? MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best graphics card, Best gaming PC, Best SSD for gaming |
PCGamesN Monday, February 24, 2025 11:36 AM  Razer is teaming up with the greatest League of Legends player of all time, Faker, for this brand-new Viper V3 Pro mouse. The five-time LoL world champion won his first four titles with a Razer Deathadder as his go-to clicker, but recently won his fifth title with a Viper shell, and now says he has designed this model as "a gift to my most loyal fans." For this collaboration, Razer chose its best gaming mouse for esports play and worked with Faker to create a one-of-a-kind design. You can read a complete breakdown of this mouse in my Viper V3 Pro review. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: League of Legends ranks explained, League of Legends Mythic shop rotation, LoL tier list |
PCGamesN Monday, February 24, 2025 11:24 AM  Who are the latest Fortnite NPCs? Fortnite NPC locations change with every new season, much like everything else, with more added throughout the season as well. This makes it difficult to keep track of the latest NPC locations. That's where we come in. There are a few reasons you might want to find a Fortnite NPC location in the battle royale game. You can hire Fortnite NPCs for a helping hand, get a rift out of the storm, or buy some of the best Fortnite weapons and items. There are often new hostile Fortnite NPCs to defeat too, but if you're looking for someone a little more friendly, we have every NPC location marked on the Fortnite map, as well as a list of all of the special items or services you can buy in Chapter 6, Season 2. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Fortnite map, Fortnite skins, Fortnite weapons |
PCGamesN Monday, February 24, 2025 11:29 AM  February 24, 2025: We checked for new Strinova codes What are the new Strinova codes? While you've got plenty of amazing agents and their awesome weapons to test out in the third-person tactical shooter Strinova, sometimes you just need a few freebies to get an edge on the competition. Thankfully, from time to time iDreamSky releases Strinova codes for free rewards. That could be anything from free EXP boosters, dream tokens, and emotes to skins or crystal boxes. So if you're looking for Strinova codes in the anime game, we've got you covered. We regularly test all of the codes in our list to ensure they're still working. Once they've expired, we'll then add them to a separate list down below. Continue reading Strinova codes February 2025 MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best FPS games, Best anime games, Best multiplayer games |
PCGamesN Monday, February 24, 2025 11:17 AM  How do you install a CPU? While your graphics card is undoubtedly the main driver when it comes to gaming, it's also essential to upgrade your CPU now and then. With higher clock speeds, as well as new features such as AMD 3D V-cache, a CPU upgrade can keep your GPU fed with frame data at a faster rate than your old chip, preventing bottlenecks in your rig. What's more, this is a relatively easy upgrade, as long as you arm yourself with patience, time, and space to work. In this guide, we'll take you through the whole process of upgrading your CPU. In our tests, we've found that you don't need more than eight cores for gaming, so there's no need to splash a silly amount of money on a 16-core or 24-core monster CPU if your main priority is gaming. Instead, we recommend buying a six-core or eight-core chip with a fast clock speed if you're upgrading an Intel system, or with 3D V-cache if you're upgrading an AMD rig. You can check out our guide to the best gaming CPU to find the chip that best suits your needs. Continue reading CPU upgrade: How to install your new Intel or AMD gaming processor MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Ryzen 7 9800X3D review, Best gaming CPU, Radeon RX 7800 XT review |
PCGamesN Monday, February 24, 2025 11:10 AM  In yet more troubling Nvidia news, an owner of a new Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 has reported that their graphics card set itself on fire. According to the owner, their Asus ROG Astral RTX 5090, a card with a $2,799 price tag, completely burned out after an afternoon of gaming, destroying the graphics card and damaging the motherboard in the process. This incident is yet another power-related issue for Nvidia to investigate with its new graphics cards. While the RTX 5090 is now the best graphics card you can buy, its launch hasn't been smooth sailing, with extremely low stock availability and problems with melting power cables leaving the company in a difficult position. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 review, Asus ROG Ally X review, Best gaming motherboard |
PCGamesN Monday, February 24, 2025 11:00 AM  Tempest Rising is always going to be compared to Command and Conquer. It's set in the '90s, Frank Klepacki does the music, and there are two campaigns where you play as two different factions. Even the finer details, like the talking head cutscenes, and the fact that the Tempest itself is an energy-rich, alien-esque crystal, just like Tiberium - I can imagine the pitch meeting where somebody said 'Westwood and EA aren't making Command and Conquer anymore, so we're going to do it'. But Slipgate's RTS game is way more than an homage; it's not just Command and Conquer for a post Command and Conquer world. Available to play right now, Tempest Rising has the potential to rise higher than its influences. MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Tempest Rising announcement, The best RTS games, The best PC strategy games |
PCGamesN Monday, February 24, 2025 11:31 AM  The early hours of Monster Hunter Wilds are spent in the more muted colors of its 'Fallow' season. As I choose my starting weapon and the early hunts kickstart that specific flood of endorphins only Capcom's flagship RPG can bring, I can't help but start to miss the brighter tones of World and Rise. But then comes the 'Inclemency' - in this case, a raging sandstorm that floods the desert accompanied by vicious lightning strikes. Then, midway through my tussle with a giant Alpha Doshaguma, the storm clears as quickly as it came, and the world bursts into vibrant, gorgeous life; the 'Plenty' has arrived. It's a stunning moment that is everything I dreamed of and more. In many ways, it feels like an allegory for Monster Hunter as a series. If you can push through the struggle of those early hours, and survive to the 'spark' of finding the weapon that clicks for you, you'll reveal something truly beautiful. Continue reading Monster Hunter Wilds review - a worthy successor to World MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Monster Hunter Wilds monsters, Monster Hunter Wilds weapons, Monster Hunter Wilds review |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, February 24, 2025 1:09 PM  I like to think that, having been supplanted by autoshooters and twig-picking survival games as the Steam Next Fest genre du jour, 2D puzzle-platformers can circle back from ubiquity to becoming cool and clever again. In any event, I've definitely enjoyed As I Began To Dream, a charmingly hand-drawn side-scroller that delivers its puzzles with a tactile clickiness straight out of your childhood toolbox. The demo is out now. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, February 24, 2025 1:08 PM  I adore the premise of DoubleWe: you're given a randomised appearance, dumped in a cramped sci-fi shithole full of dodgy-looking NPCs, and forced to find kill your identical clone before he can emerge from the crowd and shank you first. There's a demo for Steam Next Fest, and it's provoked in me some of the most pulse-quickening paranoia since the days of DayZ. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, February 24, 2025 1:04 PM  The demo for Kaizen's Promise Mascot Agency throws a lot of ideas you, but at its heart, it's just a game about being a good boss. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, February 24, 2025 11:59 AM  Attention all eyeball eaters, flesh bicyclists, and shooter enjoyers who also enjoy staring into nightclub toilets! I've just noticed that survival horror FPS Golden Light is free to keep on Steam… for the next hour only. The offer in question runs out at 6pm UTC today, 24th February. I swear I have only just discovered this. I swear I'm not trying to give you palpitations for the sake of a traffic spike. But if I am giving you palpitations, that's an appropriate start to your time with Golden Light, "a procedural dark comedy horror game with roguelike elements and an eerie atmosphere". Eerie? Do not sell yourself short, video game. Alan Wake is eerie. Golden Light is a game in which you can swallow a bat's head just to see what happens. The last time I played I was murdered by a sink clog. The whole world is a deforming colon. Trailer! Quickly! |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Monday, February 24, 2025 11:26 AM  I'm a bit late to the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, which means that this review – while already a dismal failure in the glowing robot eyes of the Internet nowness machine – can at least factor in the context of the GPU's first few days on sale. Said context can be summarised thusly: Ah. Umm. Errrrrrrr. No, early life has not been kind to the RTX 5070 Ti. Inadequate stocks and the lack of an Nvidia-made Founders Edition, unlike those of the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080, have cut the chances of finding one at the intended £729 / $749 RRP to pretty much nada. Not to mention how some models are shipping with missing render output units, potentially hurting performance. It's a saddening start, made all the more unfortunate by the fact that the RTX 5070 Ti really isn't a bad graphics card in itself. |
Twinfinite Monday, February 24, 2025 12:36 PM  |
Siliconera Monday, February 24, 2025 6:00 PM
Bandai Spirits announced a model kit of the ASW-G-08 Gundam Barbatos Lupus from the Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans anime series. The release date and price of the new model kit has yet to be decided, and more information will appear in the future. [Thanks, Hobby Watch!]
The new Gundam Barbatos Lupus model kit is part of the MG 1/100 (Master Grade) line of scale Gunpla kits. It was announced on February 21, 2025 during the Gundam NEXT Future -Final- event held in Tokyo. Since its production was just announced there is currently no prototype of the model kit, although we might see Bandai Spirits share a look at it as its development progresses.
The creation of the new Gunpla was decided as part of the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Iron-Bloodeed Orphans anime, which premiered in Japan on October 4, 2015 and ran until April 2, 2017. The original anime has 2 seasons of 25 episodes each, and a new anime based on the Iron-Blooded Orphans: Urdr-Hunt mobile game is currently in production.
The new Gundam Barbatos Lupus model kit from the Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans anime is currently in development, and information on its release date and price will appear at a later date. The Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans anime is available on Crunchyroll.
The post Iron-Blooded Orphans Gundam Barbatos Lupus Model Kit Announced appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 24, 2025 5:30 PM
The recent Play! Play! Play! event showcasing the upcoming Monster Hunter Wilds confirmed that Tempered and Frenzied Monsters will make a return. As part of the event helmed by PlayStation Japan, Capcom shared new live gameplay footage featuring a Tempered Rathian and a Frenzied Nerscylla.
The developers confirmed the inclusion of Tempered Monsters in Monster Hunter Wilds at around the 23:50 mark in the video, where they confirmed that the Rathian will be one of these monsters. These monsters will appear as endgame content, and they will provide unique drops to craft special weapons. The showcase also included a hunting mission taking place in this entry's version of the Arena, where players fought the aforementioned Tempered Rathian at around the 33-minute mark.
Additionally, the livestream confirmed that the Frenzy Virus and Frenzied Monsters will return in Monster Hunter Wilds. As part of a second quest showcasing a hunting mission against a Blangonga, a Frenzied Nerscylla appeared at around the 51:55 mark. The return of Frenzy in Monster Hunter Wilds is fitting, as Capcom recently confirmed in a trailer that the original carrier of the Frenzy, Gore Magala, will appear in the game.
You can check out the latest Monster Hunter Wilds footage from the Play! Play! Play! event here:
Monster Hunter Wilds will come out for the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on February 28, 2025. A Benchmark Tool is available now on PC via Steam.
The post Monster Hunter Wilds Includes Frenzied and Tempered Monsters appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 24, 2025 5:00 PM
A new generation of Nijisanji English Vtubers has been teased at Nijifes, featuring what appears to be a lineup of 4 male Livers. The official Nijisanji EN Twitter account also posted a preview video showing the silhouettes of the new members and promising a new debut "soon".
While details are light on this new generation, the promo video does give us a look at their silhouettes as well as a short cut of each member's upper face and hair. They follow Denauth, the previous Niji EN generation, who debuted back in May, 2024, and consisted of Twisty Amanozako, Ryoma Barrenwort, and Klara Charmwood.
The announcement came during Nijifes 2025, a multi-day convention celebrating the agency's 7th anniversary featuring live performances by Nijisanji Livers. Some of the performances are available to watch for free on Youtube and NicoVideo.
You can watch the preview video via the tweet below:
The 7th Nijisanji Anniversary Festival, or Nijifes, took place from February 21-23, 2025, with AnyColor releasing a slate of info on the event about a month prior. More recently, it emerged that AnyColor had accidentally disposed of fan letters intended for the now-retired Liver Suzuya Aki.
There is currently no date for the debut of the new Nijisanji EN generation.
The post New Nijisanji English Vtuber Generation Only Features Men appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 24, 2025 4:30 PM
Shonen Jump announced a new manga series called Love is Overkill is available via Shonen Jump+. It is also being released worldwide. The first chapter is available in English on MangaPlus now.
The series is by Astra Ashima, whose previous series was Handsome Must Die from Shonen Jump+. S'More Milwalky is a doctor, with her primary specialty being a mix of research and mortuary work. As the series begins, she's working as a mortician at Deslike Prison. She laments the fact that she's single and alone. After an incredibly violent and deadly assassin named Painkiller is transferred to the facility, she falls in love at first sight due to his good looks.
After Painkiller's executed for his many, many murders, he winds up in S'More's morgue. As she fixes his body up, even giving him a manicure and brushing his hair, she also uses a secret drug she developed to revive his dead skin and make him look better. However, this has an unintended side effect, which leads to S'More and Painkiller's new "relationship" beginning.
Even though 2025 is still "young," this isn't the first new manga series to debut in Shonen Jump. The earliest one was Waiting for the Sunlight. The first chapter of that appeared on January 1, 2025. It's at five chapters as of February 24, 2025, and the next one is due to appear on February 26, 2025.
The first chapter of the Love is Overkill manga is available now, and the next new one will appear in Shonen Jump and via MangaPlus on March 3, 2025.
The post Newest Shonen Jump Manga Called Love Is Overkill appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 24, 2025 4:00 PM
When a new game in a series launches, especially a systems-driven one like Civilization, there's usually a catch-up period where the new game is lacking in certain features that players had become used to in the previous entry. Sometimes it's quality of life options or extra functionality, sometimes it's the sheer variety of factions and extra game modes that several years of expansions bring. But with Civilization VII, the biggest step back has to be with the new map generation system and the dearth of meaningful options it has available, which has a decidedly negative affect on all the other parts of the game too.
Normally in Civilization, you have a suite of options to choose what kind of map you want to play on. These start with choosing the overall shape: do you want a single, Pangaean landmass, a few continents, or a several chains of island archipelagos? Then you can fine tune your choices by selecting the number of major landmasses or even choose to make forests, mountains, and/or deserts more likely by changing the average temperature or age of the world itself. It will still work by most of the usual map generation rules (you'll want to boot up the World Builder if you want something specific) but generally you can get something decently tailored to what you want.
In Civilization VII, however, your map options are a lot more limited. This isn't entirely unexpected, Civ VI didn't launch with all its current options nor did it get a map editor for a few years, but VII has even less than expected. Currently, you have 6 Map Types and 3 size options to choose from. That's it, no other options. But what makes matters worse is that even those different map options consistently generate very similar maps. Continents Plus gives you two large landmasses with a strip of islands down one side. Continents gives you the same, but hold the islands. Fractal, Shuffle and Archipelago give you the same as Continents Plus but the two landmasses will be more irregular. Terra Incognita doesn't even change the map formula but instead just makes every civ start on the same landmass, which is ironically the most affecting of all of them.
These homogenous (and to be frank, ugly) maps kill much of the excitement of exploration in repeated games. Once you know the layout of one you can make reasonable guesses of where your opponents are and where the other large landmass is. Additionally, smaller biomes make building towards bonuses from certain terrain types less worthwhile, mountain barriers and natural chokepoints are rare, and the removal of hills makes maps seem flatter than ever. In fact, it's just generally rare to see any kind of features that might prompt an interesting strategic decision.
And that lack of interesting decisions is, ultimately, where the problem lies. Where once you would have to adapt your strategy or specialize to take advantage of your surroundings, with that perhaps affecting other decisions further down the line, now everyone starts on the same flat land and you race to gobble up as much of it as you can. Early naval specialization is disincentivized since land is rarely at a premium until later and you'll likely be pre-occupied with your terrestrial neighbours before then, while the new Towns system encourages spreading far and wide even if you're trying to go for a traditionally 'Tall' style. A big melee between Civs on a few large continents can be fun, but not when it's the only available option.
The first few months of post-launch development on Civilization VII will likely be taken up by fixing bugs, performance issues, and sorting out the widely criticised UI, but I'd argue that improving the map generator should also be bumped up in priority. While new civs or leaders might be exciting additions that get players coming back to check them out, without interesting maps and solid options they aren't likely to stick around for repeat games the way the series needs.
Civilization VII is immediately available for PS4, PS5 Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC.
The post Civilization VII has a Map Generation Problem appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 24, 2025 3:30 PM
Hinamatsuri is being celebrated in Final Fantasy XI again, and the 2025 The Doll Festival reward is the same one from the 2024 version of the FFXI event. Things kick off on February 28, 2025. They'll last over the actual Hinamatsuri festival, which happens on March 3, 2025.
The event works much like it has during past iterations. You'll be able to visit Moogles in six spots, and they'll appear alongside doll displays for the event. If you talk to them, you can get items like the Set of Festival Dolls furnishing you can place in your home. This is the only time you can get this item.
Here's where those Moogles are:
This isn't the only Final Fantasy MMO celebrating the Japanese holiday. It's happening in FFXIV too. However, that game isn't rerunning the event and same old reward. In 2025, the bonus in that game is a princely suit of armor, and past items will be available in-game or via the online store.
Final Fantasy XI is available for the PC. The Doll Festival event will run in FFXI this year until March 20, 2024.
The post FFXI The Doll Festival Event Returns in February 2025 appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 24, 2025 3:15 PM
There are 114 crewnates that you can recruit into the Goro Pirate in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. They come with different stats, fill different roles in your pirate crew, and have different ways to recruit them. If you're looking for some high-quality sailors to add to your squad of seafaring scallywags then we have all the information you need.
Here are all the possible recruitable crewmates in Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.
All Supporting crewmates in Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
There are several different ways in which you can recruit crewmates to the Goro Pirates in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza, and we've separated them by how to add them to your team. Firstly, there are 22 crewmates that can fulfil supporting roles on the ship giving your crew huge buffs when the meter is full.
Main story
These are supporting characters who will join your party as part of the story.
Side stories and encounters
You will be able to recruit these characters either by completing the relevant side story, or by encountering them and fulfilling their conditions.
Mini game exchange
These crewmates require you to earn a certain amount of points playing Pirate Yakuza's many mini games, and exchange them in the shop.
Goro Kingdom
The animals in Pirate Yakuza do more than give you ingredients in exchange for food. If you fill out their affection and speak to them again, they will agree to join the ship.
DLC
These are the crewmates that you automatically unlock when you purchase the DLC for Pirate Yakuza.
All Offensive Crewmates in Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
Offensive crewmates either work on the deck, manning cannons and repairing the ship, or they participate in deck battles. They come in four categories: Melee, Defense, Healer, Shooter, and you'll want a mix of all of them on your crew. As you may expect, the bigger the number the better the fighter, but it's important to look at the role they play as well as the letter next to their names.
Main story
These are the crewmates you unlock as part of the main story of Pirate Yakuza. You will start off with Masaru, Jason and the Pirates, but you will quickly gain more members.
Side stories and encounters
These characters are either marked on the map as encounters, or are recruited as rewards for completing various side stories.
Mini game exchange
Crazy Delivery, Dragon Kart, Golf in Madlantis, Bang Bang Batting Center, shogi, pool, Fortune Exchange, and Sicko Snap, all have shops where you exchange points earned in the mini games for crewmates among other rare items.
DLC
If you have purchase bonus content, then these characters will be added to your crew in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza automatically.
You can learn more about the game by checking out our Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii review.
The post All Crewmates in Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 24, 2025 3:00 PM
We won't need to wait too long for the new Keita Takahashi game, as To a T will launch on May 28, 2025. A new trailer showed off an additional song for the title alongside gameplay highlighting how the simulation will work.
In To a T, players follow a customizable lead character named Teen who is shaped like a T. Their arms are constantly out at their sides, and they're accompanied by a pet dog that acts as an assistant. The game follows them as they go through days of their lives, and we see how the unique shape can help and hinder daily activities. There are also a number of minigames, some of which are tied to the character's pose.
The new trailer focuses on gameplay, but pairs that with a new song from the title featuring a chef named Giraffe. The giraffe, voiced by Steven Universe creator and Adventure Time contributor Rebecca Sugar, sings a song about what made them decide to pursue their career.
While this Keita Takahashi game is entirely new and original, it features a similar style as past titles from the developer. Some of his past works include the first two Katamari Damacy entries, Noby Noby Boy, Wattam, and Crankin's Time Travel Adventure.
To a T will come to the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC.
The post Keita Takahashi Game To a T Debuts in May appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 24, 2025 2:45 PM
Sicko Snap is one of the most popular mini games from Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and it's back in style for Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. Not only can you take pictures of those butterfly-bedecked buff men, but you can recruit new crew members, grab a Golden Ball and complete two side stories if you do. If you want to play Sicko Snap in Pirate Yakuza, and you're wondering what rewards you can grab, then here is everything you need to know about the popular mini game.
How to unlock Sicko Snap in Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
Sicko Snap is located at the Aloha Beach Trolley Stop in Hawaii. You can find this stop just north of the island's main beach. When you approach the stop for the first time, a trolley will be there to pick you up. Enter the trolley and say you want to ride for a cutscene to begin. This will be your first round of Sicko Snap and will both unlock and complete the Snap Those Sickos! Again! sub story.
If you want to play Sicko Snap again, approach Kuroki at the same trolley stop and he will offer you three courses to try. You can also talk to him to redeem the points you gain while playing Sicko Snap. The main items to redeem are two new crewmates – including series favorite sicko, the diaper-wearing Patriarch Gondawara – a treasure chest, and a Golden Ball.
How to catch the Crystal Papillon in Sicko Snap
Once you have completed all three of Sicko Snaps three standard courses, you will unlock a new sub story, The Sicko Snap Saga. After you have completed the third track, go back and talk to Kuroki and he will tell you about a special sicko known as the Crystal Papillon. This sicko lives on a special island, and the police have been trying to catch up with him for some time.
You can now select this new course from Kuroki and it will play a little differently from the other courses. Firstly, you are on a boat that often stops as you try to quickly snap the sickos that appear. If you surpass the points threshold on this course then you'll be greeted by the Crystal Papillon at the finale.
Unfortunately, your journey isn't over yet. You will need to snap several pictures of the Crystal Papillon's crotch in order to weaken him. He is faster than any other sicko you have encountered so far, and your best bet is to snap as many pictures as possible once you get one photo in a good position.
You will know if you have weakened him enough as he will run into the middle of your frame and let you freely snap his pants. Once you have enough pants pics, a cutscene will play showing his arrest. Catching the Crystal Papillon comes with a number of rewards, and is well worth doing.
Kuroki will give you the Scope Ring, which will allow Majima to see where missing treasure and fortunes are on the map making them much easier to collect. Kuroki will also join you as a crewmate. Finally, you'll be able to purchase the Crystal Papillon from Kuroki in exchange for your Sicko Snap points. He's one of the most powerful crewmates in the game and well worth picking up if you want to complete the Pirate's Colosseum.
You can learn more about the game by checking out our Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii review.
The post How to Unlock Sicko Snap in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 24, 2025 2:30 PM
Infold Games announced that it will once again run an event in Infinity Nikki that doles out three free outfits, and we'll see it start the second the 1.3 update arrives. These are called Dream in Glimpses, Jade Dreams, and The Perfectionist. Things kick off on February 25, 2025. You only have until March 25, 2025 to get all of them.
Like the last free outfit giveaway, this is tied to an Infinity Nikki login event. In order to claim them, you basically need to log in for a few days. Each day, you'll get one. Dream in Glimpses is the one four-star option. You get two copies of it, so you can then head into your Pear Pad menu and evolve one to get Dream in Glimpses: Sweetness.
Here's how the two Dream in Glimpses outfits look:
Jade Dreams and The Perfectionist are our free three-star outfits this time. Both don't have an evolved option. Both feature multiple parts and accessories like purses.
You can see how those look below:
This is the second Infinity Nikki update in a row with three free outfits guaranteed, as 1.3 is following in the footsteps of 1.2. People could get Pink Bunny, Radiant Night, and Sunlit Grasspom. Radiant Night was the only four-star one in the batch. That one could be claimed twice so we could all evolve it, just like Dream in Glimpses and its Dream in Glimpses: Sweetness variant.
Infinity Nikki is available for the PS5, PC, and mobile devices, and the 1.3 update arrives on February 25, 2025.
The post 3 Free Outfits Debut in Infinity Nikki 1.3 Event appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 24, 2025 2:15 PM
Shen is back once again and he wants you to find his Golden Balls for him. If you collect all seven Golden Balls then he will grant you any wish you want, as long as you dream of owning a middle-aged man's underwear. If you are stuck looking for Shen's Golden Balls so you can return them to him, we have everything you need to snatch them up.
Here are the locations of all seven Golden Balls in Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.
All Golden Ball locations in Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
If you read Shen's text about the Golden Balls he will give you hints as to where you can find each one.
Chinese Medicine Shop
The first Golden Ball can be found in Chinatown on the west side of Hawaii. Head for Wan Shang Tong Herbal Medicine, the shop the text is mentioning. You will see a poster at the back of the shop featuring a man and a woman. Aim your grapple hook at the poster to claim your first Golden Ball.
Sushi Restaurant
The second Golden Ball can be found outside Shinobi Sushi at the very north east of Hawaii. There is a statue of a ninja outside the restaurant on top of the roof. Aim your grapple hook up at the ninja to claim your second Golden Ball.
Seaside Avenue pool
Seaside Avenue runs north to south on the east side of Hawaii. You can find it just to the east of Worldwide Market Village where Alo-Happy is based. There is a small nook facing west at the south end of the avenue. Here there is a wall with small holes so that you can see a pool on the other side. Peer through the gap and use your grapple to claim the third Golden Ball.
Pawn shop masked doll
There are four pawn shops in Hawaii, but the one you want is Treasure Select Pawn (Hula Ave.) to the south east of the map. In the window you can see a mannequin dressed like a luchador. Enter the shop and aim your grapple at the mannequin from the side to claim the fourth Golden Ball.
Man chasing sickos
This is the only Golden Ball that can't be found out in the wild. Instead you need to start the side story for Sicko Snap. Get on the trolley at Aloha Beach and after you finish the first part of the side story you'll be able to talk to Kuroki and exchange your points. If you did well in the mini game you should have enough to purchase the fifth Golden Ball which is at the end of his inventory. If not, give Sicko Snap another go so you can purchase it.
Freak on top of Dunghill
For the last two Golden Balls you'll need to go to Madlantis. If you stand in front of the bar, Dunghill, you will be able to see a grapple point. Once you are on top of the building, look up and around for another grapple point. You will see a man in a rather fetching outfit with a Golden Ball you are able to grapple.
Sweaty man near the Coliseum
The final Golden Ball is just to the side of the coliseum reception. You'll see a man dancing behind a barrier to the one side and you can grapple the final Golden Ball from him.
Golden Ball rewards in Pirate Yakuza
Shen will text you once you have all seven Golden Balls. You have to meet him at the docks in Hawaii and he will thank you for bringing him his balls. He says he will grant you a wish in return, but it doesn't matter what you choose here. No matter what you ask for you'll receive Shen-san's Panties, which are mostly useless but sell for $15,000.
The main reward for completing this substory is that Shen will join you as a new crewmate. Unfortunately, he's not that impressive, but you still need to pick him up if you want to collect them all.
You can learn more about the game by checking out our Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii review.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii launched on February 21, 2025 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, Xbox One and PC.
The post All Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza Golden Balls Locations appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 24, 2025 2:00 PM
Square Enix announced a third NieR Reincarnation soundtrack will be releasing in April 2025. It will be the soundtrack that covers the final chapter of the mobile game, which appeared just before it was closed.
NieR Reincarnation Original Soundtrack: The People and the World will feature 16 tracks from the original game. These tracks are taken from the third and final chapter of the game. The music was composed by Keiichi Okabe, Shotaro Seo and Kuniyuki Takahashi, who'd composed music for the previous chapters. Okabe has been the lead composer for multiple games in the series, including the original NieR, NieR Automata and Drakengard 3.
The soundtrack will release in Japan on April 30, 2025, for ¥3,080, and pre-orders are open on the Japanese Square Enix store. It will also release through the North American and European stores, although store pages for these territories have yet to go live. A price wasn't mentioned for those regions yet.
NieR Reincarnation: The People and the World was the final chapter of the mobile game. It was released in March 2024, a month before the game's ultimate closure. The soundtrack's release date is shortly after an anniversary live stream, which will feature a short concert.
NieR Reincarnation Original Soundtrack: The People and the World is set to release on April 30, 2025. NieR Reincarnation was previously available on mobile devices, but service ended on April 29, 2024.
The post New NieR Reincarnation Soundtrack Will Release in April 2025 appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 24, 2025 1:30 PM
Sony and Lego are teaming up to release the first playset based on Lego Horizon Adventures. The playset, which is called Aloy & Varl vs Shell-Walker & Sawtooth, is set to release on March 1, 2025. The playset is currently available to pre-order from the official Lego site. It will cost $44.99.
The new Lego Horizon Adventures playset features two machines, which are the Shell-Walker and Sawtooth. The Shell-Walker is a crab-like machine that is used to transport materials around. It's recognizable for its prominent shell container and shield. The Sawtooth is a machine similar to a big cat that is one of Horizon's more aggressive machines. It was first seen in Horizon Zero Dawn when the player is taught how to use a Tripcaster. The playset also comes with minifigs of Horizon protagonist Aloy and Varl, a fellow Nora tribesman who assists Aloy on her adventures.
Here are some images of the playset:
The PlayStation Blog features a video discussing the process of designing the Lego Horizon Adventures playset, as designers from both Lego and Guerrilla collaborated to make the machines work in Lego form. They explain that the machines were chosen as they were favorites of the designers.
The set is primarily based on the Lego Horizon Adventures game, which released in 2024 and featured a more family-friendly take on Horizon Zero Dawn. However, this was not the first time Sony and Lego collaborated on a project. A Tallneck was previously released as an adult set. That is still available now.
The Lego Horizon Adventures Aloy & Varl vs Shell-Walker & Sawtooth playset is set to release on March 1, 2025. Lego Horizon Adventures is out now for PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch.
The post New Lego Horizon Adventures Set Features Aloy and a Sawtooth appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 24, 2025 1:00 PM
Publisher NextNinja released the second game in the Quintessential Quintuplets Memories VR game series, this time featuring the fourth Nakano sister Yotsuba. The title is available now for PCs via Steam, but it does require a VR headset to play. It also features designs based on the anime adaptation.
Billed as an "adventure" game in VR, The Quintessential Quintuplets OMOIDE VR YOTSUBA has the player take on the role of tutor Futaro Uesugi as they spend time with Yotsuba and recreate scenes from the manga and anime. The game features multiple endings, with Yotsuba herself being voiced once again by Ayane Sakura, who reprises her role from the anime series and movie.
You can watch the trailer for the game via Youtube below:
The previous installment, also published by NextNinja and developed by Blackc, released back in 2022. It featured the youngest sister Itsuki Nakano as the subject. That means there are still three sisters missing.
Back in November 2024, the Genda GiGO arcade company announced prize collaborations with both the Quintessential Quintuplets series and Genshin Impact. Meanwhile, a stage play adaptation of the story is set to be performed later this year, with members of the idol group Hinatazaka46 portraying the sisters themselves.
The Quintessential Quintuplets OMOIDE VR YOTSUBA is available now via Steam for PC (VR Headset required). The anime is streaming on Crunchyroll, and Kodansha handles the manga.
The post New Quintessential Quintuplets Memories VR Game Stars Yotsuba appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Monday, February 24, 2025 12:30 PM
Capcom collaborated with Medicom Toy for a special Monster Hunter themed Bearbrick figure that looks like a Felyne Palico friend. Pre-orders are available now until March 10, 2025 for a cost of $96. The Bearbrick Felyne will be shipped in late October 2025.
The Bearbrick Felyne features a pattern that resembles the cat-like Palico companions from the Monster Hunter series, although it is now shaped like a bear for this figure. The item features markings similar to a typical cat from the series, with a cream-colored body with brown paws and a pawprint-shaped marking on the torso. It even has a tail drawn on the back. Unlike other Bearbrick designs, it retains its feline face. As part of the 400% series, the figure stands at 280mm (around 11 inches) and weighs 1000g.
The Bearbrick Felyne has been announced just ahead of the latest game in the series, Monster Hunter Wilds. Capcom are releasing plenty of other merchandise to celebrate, such as a Palico plush available as a crane game prize, pet accessories and a gaming chair featuring Arkveld designs.
The Bearbrick Felyne is available to pre-order now and will release in late October 2025. Monster Hunter Wilds is set to release on March 28, 2025 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
The post Bearbrick Figure Looks Like a Monster Hunter Felyne appeared first on Siliconera. |
Destructoid Monday, February 24, 2025 2:23 PM
The best day of the year for Pokémon fans, also known as Pokémon Day, takes place on Feb. 27, celebrating the anniversary of Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green's release in Japan. In 2025, the event is expected to be packed with announcements, just as it is every year.
The Pokémon Company has already teased some of the upcoming reveals, including a trailer for the upcoming Dragonite and the Mailman short animation, as well as promotional Pokémon Day TCG cards that players can collect at local events.
However, there are still major surprises that haven't been hinted at yet. Based on years of Pokémon Day trends and past announcements, here are five predictions for what we might see this year.
1. Pokémon Legends: Z-A gameplay trailer reveal
Can you believe it's been a year since we saw that two-minute teaser for Pokémon Legends: Z-A? Since then, there have been zero additional teasers or gameplay details—so now feels like the perfect time for a fully-fledged gameplay trailer.
We're expecting to see:
With Pokémon Legends: Z-A set for a 2025 global release, Pokémon Day 2025 is the perfect stage for The Pokémon Company to build hype and reveal major details. Additionally, this could be when we finally get confirmation of whether Legends: Z-A will be released on the Nintendo Switch or if it will be an exclusive for the Switch 2.
2. Pokémon TCG Destined Rivals set teaser
Teasers for Pokémon TCG's May 2025 set, Destined Rivals, have already been revealed, thanks to Gamescom Latam's Team Rocket-themed credentials featuring the set's name. This all but confirms the rumors that Team Rocket cards will be included in the expansion.
While the Journey Together set is coming first, in late March, and will likely be the highlight of the TCG segment of Pokémon Day, it wouldn't be surprising if a Team Rocket logo appears at the end of the presentation to tease Destined Rivals.
3. Pokémon TCG Pocket new themed booster pack reveal
It's been nearly a month since Pokémon TCG Pocket players received the Space-time Smackdown set. Given the game's set release cycle, Pokémon Day 2025 seems like the perfect moment to reveal the next themed booster pack, A2a.
While A2a is expected to feature fewer cards than Space-time Smackdown, it should still bring fresh content for collectors and competitive players alike.
4. New spinoff Pokémon game
The Pokémon Company has made a habit of announcing new spinoff titles or sequels every year—Pokémon TCG Pocket was revealed in 2024, and Pokémon Sleep launched in 2023. For 2025, since a mainline game announcement is unlikely while we wait for more Legends: Z-A news, we could see a new secondary title for mobile or the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2.
Personally, I'd love to see classic Game Boy titles like Pokémon Crystal and Pokémon Emerald added to the Nintendo Switch Online library instead of another brand-new game.
5. A bunch of giveaways and freebies across multiple games
Expect to see special Tera Raids in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, new events in Pokémon UNITE, and special codes in multiple games, maybe even some love for Pokémon TCG Live.
These kinds of in-game bonuses are a staple of Pokémon Day celebrations, so while I'd suggest keeping expectations measured for the previous predictions, this one is all but guaranteed. I highly recommend jumping into your favorite Pokémon game on Feb. 27—you never know what surprises might be waiting inside.
The post Pokémon Day 2025 is almost here—and here are 5 predictions for what's coming appeared first on Destructoid. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, February 24, 2025 2:15 PM
The Fantasy FC Challenge 1 SBC is now live in EA FC 25, and you can complete it to get a pack practically free of cost.
Like all fodder challenges, completing the challenge should be pretty simple. The required fodder should already be available in your club, which will allow you to finish the SBC for free. Let's take a look at how you can complete the SBC, along with the rewards waiting for you.
EA FC 25 Fantasy FC Challenge 1 SBC tasks
The Fantasy FC Challenge 1 SBC has only one task, and here are the requirements.
Task 1 - Fantasy FC Challenge 1 SBC
EA FC 25 Fantasy FC Challenge 1 SBC solutions
The primary objective is to use the fodder you already have in your club. However, feel free to use the following solution if you get stuck.
Task - Fantasy FC 1 Challenge SBC
Completing the challenge will earn you a Rare Gold Pack, which contains a mix of 12 Rare Gold Player and Club items. Three of those items are guaranteed to be players, with anyone being guaranteed to be rated 81 or higher. In terms of packs, there are certainly better ones you can open in Ultimate Team.
However, you can get this pack for free, and there's always a chance to get something special. At worst, it could provide you with the fodder required to complete the new Road to the Final Player Pick SBC.
The post EA FC 25 Fantasy FC Challenge 1 SBC solutions appeared first on Destructoid. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, February 24, 2025 1:39 PM
The Road to the Final Player Pick SBC is now live in EA FC 25, and you can complete it to pick between two campaign items.
The latest SBC player pick offers Edon Zhegrova and Victor Boniface's RTTF cards. Both cards are eligible for upgrades in the future based on how their respective clubs perform in the knockouts of the UEFA Champions League. Let's take a look at how you can complete the latest SBC and which card you should pick.
EA FC 25 Road to the Final Player Pick SBC tasks
The Road to the Final Player Pick SBC has three tasks, and here are the conditions.
Task 1 - 84-Rated Squad
Task 2 - 85-Rated Squad
Task 3 - Top Form
EA FC 25 Road to the Final Player Pick SBC solutions
Here's a set of solutions you can use to complete the latest challenge in Ultimate Team.
Task 1 - 84-Rated Squad
Task 2 - 85-Rated Squad
Task 3 - Top Form
This SBC is easy to choose from, as Boniface's card is simply better, and it has more chances of securing upgrades in the future. Power Shot+ and Pinged Pass+ are far better than Whipped Pass+ and Trivela+, which weakens the case for someone even remotely to consider Zhegrova's card. With a few upgrades, this Boniface card could really prove itself to be a bargain. As an alternative, you can also place him in the Finesse Express evolution to boost some of his stats.
The post EA FC 25 Road to the Final Player Pick SBC solutions appeared first on Destructoid. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, February 24, 2025 1:18 PM
The Finesse Express Evolution is now live in EA FC 25, and you can complete it to upgrade one of your attacking items in Ultimate Team.
The latest evolution costs 30,000 coins to unlock, so it's certainly on the cheaper side of things. That said, the boosts offered by the upgrades look phenomenal on first glance, so let's take a look at who are the best candidates for the evolution.
EA FC 25 Finesse Express Evolution requirements
Here are the requirements of the Finesse Express Evolution in EA FC 25.
EA FC 25 Finesse Express Evolution upgrades
There are three levels of upgrades, and here are the required conditions.
Upgrade level 1
Upgrade level 2
Upgrade level 3
Upgrade level 1 requirements
Upgrade level 2 requirements
Upgrade level 3 requirements
Best players to use in EA FC 25 Finesse Express Evolution
Here are some of the best candidates to consider for the upgrades.
Ultimately, try to use items that already have a decent amount of passing and pace, as those areas aren't taken care of by the evolution.
The post EA FC 25 Finesse Express Evolution: Best players to use appeared first on Destructoid. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, February 24, 2025 1:17 PM
Avowed made a strong impression on both players and critics following its Feb. 18 launch this year.
The game received generally favorable reviews on Metacritic and earned a 9/10 in Destructoid's Avowed review. With positive feedback on Steam as well, this fantasy RPG could see further expansion—if its game director's hopes are any indication.
Carrie Patel, Avowed's game director at Obsidian Entertainment, said the game's future is not yet decided, but she wants to explore more of its world. "Now that we've built this wonderful world, and also built this team strength and muscle memory around the content and gameplay in this world, I'd love to see us do more with it," Patel said in an interview with Bloomberg.
While this is not a confirmation of an Avowed DLC or sequel, it's exciting news for fans eager for more. Obsidian's team appears ready, only waiting for the green light to expand the game's universe.
But The Outer World's sequel could slow Avowed' next chapter
However, Obsidian is also developing The Outer Worlds 2, scheduled for release in 2025. While it's unclear how much crossover exists between the two development teams, it wouldn't be surprising if Obsidian prioritizes The Outer Worlds 2's launch before committing to more Avowed content.
Since its official reveal at The Game Awards in December 2024 for PS5, Xbox Series S|X, and PC, The Outer Worlds 2 has had no major development updates or new trailers. Destructoid has reached out to Obsidian for further comments on how the game's development might impact Avowed's near future.
If you want more Avowed, check Destructoid's Avowed guides, including all unique clothing in Avowed and how to find it and all godlike features in Avowed.
The post Avowed's director hopes for an expansion or sequel appeared first on Destructoid. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, February 24, 2025 12:42 PM
Fortnite Chapter 6, Season 2 involves the emergence of Fletcher Kane and his wolf packs as they set up Black Markets and bank vaults around the map. While you can perform heists to claim the goods yourself, you can also show support by completing the "Join the Wolf Pack" quest.
Fortnite Chapter 6, Season 2 Join the wolf pack secret quest guide
Completing Fortnite's "Join the Wolf Pack" quest requires you to become a wolf and show your pride by visiting a wolf statue south of Crime City. Your first goal is to equip any wolf skin available in Fortnite, while your second task is to hop into a game and survive long enough to interact with the Crime City wolf statue.
The first part of completing the Join the Wolf Pack quest is equipping your character with any wolf skin. Below are some you can use for this quest:
Any skin with "Wolf" in the name or resembling a wolf character works for this quest. If you don't have any, your best bet is to watch the in-game item shop for new ones to release or purchase the Battle Pass and unlock Fletcher Kane's skin.
Once you have a wolf skin equipped, join any Fortnite match and land south of Crime City, just past the gold-filled river. You'll find a cliff here with a massive gold-covered wolf statue on top. If you approach this area directly from the Battle Bus, you'll see a huge wolf towering over the river. Otherwise, you can come here later in the match to finish the quest.
However, simply running up to it as a wolf isn't enough. Once you're near the statue, climb up the mountain until you reach its paws. Being fearless enough to approach the wolf is enough for Fortnite to recognize you've joined the wolf pack, completing the quest and rewarding you with some Battle Pass XP.
The post How to complete the Join the wolf pack quest in Fortnite appeared first on Destructoid. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, February 24, 2025 12:25 PM
If Ninja Time got one thing on point from Naruto, it's the importance of your family inside the game. When you start your adventure, you'll have to choose a family (the process is random). Every family offers powerful bonuses and unique abilities that power up your character.
The objective is to have one whose stat bonuses align with how you want to play. This tier list ranks all the different choices available at launch.
Complete Ninja Time Family Tier List
To grade the different Families in Ninja Time, I have used four ranks.
Ninja Time S-Rank Family
Ninja Time A-Rank Family
Ninja Time B-Rank Family
Ninja Time C-Rank Family
And that's the entire family tier list. One more thing, though. When you're getting started, one of the first things to do is to get your first mount in Ninja Time, which will make travel much easier on your adventures.
The post Ninja Time Family Tier List appeared first on Destructoid. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, February 24, 2025 12:18 PM
If you have been playing Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 over the last couple of weeks, chances are that you have come across a term called Dragon Bones. This specific item is not tied to the main quests, so it's easy to bypass it entirely.
You'll need to take on the Dragon's Lair side quest to find the Dragon Bones. This guide will help you through the entire process to find the beast's remains.
How to obtain the Dragon Bones in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
The first step is to begin the Dragon's Lair Quest by speaking with Monk Slava. Slava can be found in Bylany, and you'll be tasked with delivering a message to a church located outside Kuttenberg. As you are about to head out, Gerhard will make you a unique offer: find him the Dragon Bones.
To find the location, you'll have to talk to Vashek, who will give you directions to the bones. To get to the location, you'll either need to pass a skill check or spend 200 Groschen. Make sure to bring a spade as well to dig up the remains.
Take the southwest path from Bylany, and you'll reach the Woodcutter's Camp. You'll find a stream that heads the west. Follow it, and you'll reach the digging spot. Once you're at the location, take the remains by digging it up with your spade.
Once you obtain the remains, Leopold will confront you. You have two choices: hand over the bones or intimidate him. If you don't choose to do either, his guards will attack you (it shouldn't be a problem to deal with them). Once you have successfully managed the attack, you can choose to give the bones to Gerhard, who will reward you with 275 Goschen. As an alternative, you can return to Bylany and hand over the remains to Slava.
Ultimately, the decision will be about what you need to do: get money or side with the monks. Thankfully, it's a side quest, and your decision won't have any major fallout in the grand scheme of things.
The post How to find the Dragon Bones in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 appeared first on Destructoid. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, February 24, 2025 12:10 PM
The Pokémon Company has revealed that two special promo cards featuring a Pokémon Day 2025 stamp will be available under certain conditions: Eevee and Sylveon, both from the latest TCG set, Prismatic Evolutions.
Additionally, during Pokémon Day celebrations, players will have the chance to obtain the 2024 Illustration Contest cards featuring Feraligatr, Pikachu, and Toxtricity ex.
Here's how you can catch... actually, collect all these Pokémon TCG cards.
Eevee 071/131 Prismatic Evolutions promo
The Eevee 071/131 promo is included as a Prismatic Evolutions 2-Pack Blister promo in select regions. However, like many Prismatic Evolutions products, this blister is already out of stock in most stores.
In the U.S., this promo is only available in the blister pack or through secondary market listings, where prices range from $6 to $12.
In the UK, players can obtain this special Eevee promo as a gift with purchase from the Pokémon Center online and select retailers for purchases over £30, available until March 27 or while supplies last, as explained in TPCi's blog post. The participating retailers are Miniso, The Original Factory Shop, Smyths Toys Superstores, HMV, Eason, Waterstones, Ryman, Harrods, Hamleys, Selfridges, Ken Black, WH Smith, GAME, and Forbidden Planet.
Sylveon 040/131 Prismatic Evolutions promo
The Pokémon Day 2025 Sylveon promo will be distributed at local Pokémon Leagues during the Feb. 27 celebrations while supplies last, according to TPCi.
To find a participating hobby store, use TPCi's event locator and contact them directly to check availability.
Unlike Eevee, this Sylveon promo is not included in any promotional blister pack. Players looking for this card on the secondary market can expect prices starting at $25.
Pokémon Illustration Contest 2024 cards and old demo decks
As a bonus for Pokémon Day, additional promo cards may be available in select hobby stores on Feb. 27—though they won't feature a Pokémon Day stamp.
These include:
The post All Pokémon Day 2025 promo cards and how to get them appeared first on Destructoid. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, February 24, 2025 12:07 PM
Solace Keep is the final city that you can visit in Avowed. The hub city of Galawain's Tusks, Solace Keep is unlike any other settlement you've come across before in the Living Lands. Instead of simply walking through the front doors, you have to weasel your way into the Keep, which is easier said than done.
The guide below shows you all of the possible ways to enter Solace Keep in Avowed.
All ways to enter Solace Keep in Avowed
When you first approach Solace Keep in the northern part of Galawain's Tusks, you'll come to a head at a drawbridge guarded by Wardens. Wardens are the Solace Keep military forces, and you'll come across dozens of them during your time in the region.
You can't lower the drawbridge by yourself, as there's no lever or switch to interact with on the other side of the bridge. However, you can speak to the Wardens and find out a little more about Solace Keep. If you have Marius in your party at this time, which is highly recommended since he once lived in the Keep, he'll also chime in with some dialogue.
Solace Keep is unique in that it doesn't allow outsiders to enter its grounds. The only people allowed in are the residents of the Keep, which are made up of dwarves and the Wardens. As such, you might think it's impossible to directly enter Solace Keep.
Fortunately, there are a couple of ways inside. The first way is through Marius, who can convince the Warden at the drawbridge to let you and your party inside Solace Keep. But if you don't have Marius in your party, things can get a little dicey during your talk with the Warden.
Without Marius, you have to convince the guard to let you through. This can be done with a couple of persuasion checks, which either come from your current stats or the specific Background you chose at the start of Avowed.
If you want to take a more direct approach, you can easily convince the guard to let you in if you complete a certain side quest in Galawain's Tusks. The side quest is called "Boundaries of Antiquity," and it starts and finishes at the Slumbering Fields location in the far western part of the map. You can access the area via a bridge southwest of Twinedwood. Here, speak to the Delemgan that's holding a Warden hostage. The Delemgan will only let the hostage go if you can cleanse the waters in the region.
By successfully completing the Boundaries of Antiquity side quest, you give the entire region of Galawain's Tusks access to clean water. You can bring this up in dialogue when speaking to the Warden at the drawbridge, saying that you're the reason he can take a bath. The Warden thanks you and lowers the drawbridge to Solace Keep, asking you to not tell anyone who let you in.
Inside Solace Keep, you're free to roam around the entire city, including the upper council chambers and the forge in the basement, which is where you can bring your Fragments of Starmetal for the "Forged of Star-Stuff" side quest in Avowed.
The post How to get into Solace Keep in Avowed appeared first on Destructoid. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, February 24, 2025 11:54 AM
Excited Grand Theft Auto VI fans are on high alert as they wait for even the smallest crumb of information about the game. Whether that's a new trailer, development tidbits, or as happened recently, speculation about a PC release date.
During Corsair's February 2025 earnings call, Vice President of Finance Ronald van Veen made a comment that at the time probably felt pretty innocuous, stating that we may be looking at a PC release date for GTA VI at some point in early 2026.
Of course, everyone waiting for GTA VI is rabid for information, so this turned into a bit of an internet wildfire of speculation about Corsair themselves and whether they have insider information that the rest of us aren't privy to. Sadly, this is not the case, and we're no closer to a general release date, let alone a PC release date.
In a comment to IGN, a Corsair representative stated that the comment made by van Veen was purely speculative, going to say that Corsair had no word from Rockstar or Take-Two Interactive about the release date. Essentially, Ronald van Veen is in the same impatient boat as the rest of us waiting to hear anything.
Grand Theft Auto games have a history of coming to PC much later than consoles. GTA V was released on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in September 2013, but it didn't reach PC players until April 2015, over 18 months later. The gap between consoles and PC for GTA IV was shorter at just eight months between releases in 2008.
When you take into account the speculative Fall 2025 release date for GTA VI, an early 2026 PC release seems hopeful at best by comparison. However, times are changing. PC is now a bigger platform than ever, and with games like Civilization 7 releasing simultaneously on consoles and PC, perhaps a shorter gap between the release of GTA VI on consoles and PC is something we can actually hope for.
This comment from van Veen comes just days after a store in Malaysia apparently offered GTA IV for "pre-order", despite having no official release date. It's all stirred up more excitement for what is likely to end up as one of the biggest releases of the year when it eventually arrives.
The post Corsair's GTA 6 release date comments, explained appeared first on Destructoid. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, February 24, 2025 11:36 AM
Ninja Time is one of the latest entrants to the world of anime-inspired video games, and finding a mount becomes extremely necessary once you start progressing your adventure. While you can walk and cover as much land as possible, having a mount makes your life a lot easier.
The higher speed will help you to cover greater distances and help you progress quicker. Naturally, it makes a lot of sense for you to concentrate all your efforts on finding one as early as possible.
Where can you find a mount early in Ninja Time
The earliest point to get a mount will appear once you meet the Kaba NPC in Leaf Village. When you talk with him, he will assign you a companion quest. To complete the quest, you'll need to finish two tasks: reach level 22 and travel 500,000 meters. The traveling has to be done without a mount, however, which makes it a hard task.
Once you reach the village, you'll come across a set of bridges that lead you outside the village. There are a set of buildings located across the bridges, and Kaba can be found there. Take the straight path from the opposite of Hokage's office building and cross the bridge. To find Kaba from there, first turn left and then go right towards the ends of the buildings.
Best way to complete 500,000 meters in Ninja Time
You'll acquire chakra jumps once you finish the tutorial quest. Use them repeatedly to run while performing the jumps, and you'll cover greater amounts of distance. This method is still going to be lengthy, but at least you'll finish the task quicker.
Another alternative is to have a fast travel pass and use it between the two locations at the longest distance. Once the fast travel is complete, you'll be able to add the miles to your covered distance and come closer to completing the required distance. Go back to Kaba after completing the task to get your first mount.
If you're looking to progress quicker in Ninja Time, make sure to take advantage of all the codes to get more consumables.
The post How to get Mounts in Ninja Time appeared first on Destructoid. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Destructoid Monday, February 24, 2025 11:00 AM
This week, Destructoid is made possible by Boot Hill Bounties, a throwback RPG in the style of 16-bit classics like Chrono Trigger and EarthBound. Gather your party and head out on a massive, spaghetti western adventure, now available on Nintendo Switch and Steam. This is a sponsored post.
In honor of the Switch release of Boot Hill Bounties, we're taking our hats off to games developed by a single person - or, at least, mostly by a single person. From Papers, Please to Stardew Valley, we have seven games that show just how far the determination of a developer can go.
Games are rarely brought to market by a single person, though, so keep that in mind as we make our way through. For instance, Boot Hill Bounties developer David Welch received help from chip-tune extraordinaire Jake Kaufman on the game's soundtrack, whose credits include Shovel Knight, Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, and DuckTales: Remastered.
The Challenges of Solo Game Development
Video games are challenging to design. Drafting the story, programming gameplay systems, creating art assets, and recording sound effects and voices are just a few of the many pieces in the game-design puzzle box. It's an arduous process, and even game publishers with teams numbering in the hundreds and access to millions of dollars in funding have produced terrible games. So imagine how difficult it must be for one person to make a game with little to no outside help.
Without access to the same wealth of resources big-name game publishers have, solo game developers have to face all the challenges of designing a functional and fun game alone. Luckily, the best one-person game dev teams make up for their lack of resources with indomitable enthusiasm and a willingness to seek out the knowledge and support they need to make their dreams a reality.
How Solo Developers Overcame Development Hurdles
Many of the games we've listed below were made by people willing to play the long game. They took years, even decades, to learn the skills that helped them reach their goals. Some studied programming in college, while others used self-tutoring courses like Codecademy to teach themselves how to turn strings of numbers on a computer screen into virtual experiences loved by millions of players.
Of course, gaining experience won't make it easier to pay the bills that inevitably come in during the game design process. One way solo game developers have gotten around this hurdle is through crowd-funding. The rise of crowd-funding platforms like Patreon, Ko-fi, and Kickstarter has made it easier for developers to get the funding they need to bring their games to life.
That said, every video game begins with a good idea, and the ability to convince people that your idea is worth betting on is an essential skill in any indie developer's toolkit. This is why many indie dev teams work to create a social media presence, building a solid rapport with their potential fanbase. Some devs do this better than others, but the gaming public generally appreciates the effort.
Now that the preamble out of the way, let's check out some of the greatest success stories in indie gaming.
Boot Hill Bounties – David Welch
Boot Hill Bounties takes the tried-and-true formula of 16-bit era JRPGs and brings it into a whole new setting. It's an isometric RPG with up to 4-player co-op in the style of Final Fantasy III/VI and EarthBound. However, it ditches the high fantasy setting, favoring a Wild West spin.
Boot Hill Bounties came out on Steam a few years ago, but it just recently released on Switch, and the classic RPG experience pairs perfectly with Nintendo's handheld. Even if you haven't played its prequel, Boot Hill Heroes, you can still play Bounties. Welch developed the game with past and new players in mind, allowing anyone to jump in on the spaghetti western action.
Welch founded Experimental Game Studios to work on games that capture the same spark that made him fall in love with titles like Final Fantasy III/VI and Chrono Trigger. After releasing Boot Hill Heroes, Welch started the development of Boot Hill Bounties, eventually counting down to release day with 50 unique blog posts. These posts, colloquially known as the Corral Countdown, provide a rare glimpse behind the curtain of a solo game dev.
When he looked back on the experience, Welch said, "The great thing about being a solo dev is that you can be proud knowing that the work is entirely your own, but that can also be scary." That's an impressive feat, given the breadth of content in Boot Hill Bounties.
Undertale – Toby Fox
Undertale comes from developer Toby Fox, who worked on the game alone outside of some art assets. Although Undertale was Fox's first claim to fame, he had been working on retro-inspired RPGs for some time. Growing up, he used RPG Maker 2000 to create games with his brothers, and he produced ROM hacks for EarthBound in high school.
Following the tradition of weird, Fox went on to develop his own RPG, taking all of the conventions of 16-bit classics and flipping them on their head. Since then, Fox has released the start of another game, Deltarune, though most of his work is focused on composing now. He has composing credits on Little Town Hero, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Pokémon Sword and Shield.
Stardew Valley – Eric Barone
Stardew Valley was created by Eric Barone, who released the game under the alias "ConcernedApe." Originally intended as a way to bolster his resume, Barone set out to create a "fixed" Harvest Moon, feeling that the series had "gotten progressively worse after Harvest Moon: Back to Nature."
What started as a side project to show what Barone was capable of quickly grew into something much bigger. Although Stardew Valley is a very different game than Undertale and Boot Hill Bounties, Barone still cites the same references. Growing up, his older brother introduced him to Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, and EarthBound.
Papers, Please – Lucas Pope
Like David Welch, Lucas Pope is also the developer of two successful games (technically three, though one is a small, browser-based game). After working on Uncharted: Drake's Fortune and Uncharted 2, Pope split from his position as a systems programmer at Naughty Dog to pursue his own creative aspirations, using the phrase "the pen is mightier than the sword" as his lighthouse.
Pope and his wife, Keiko Ishizaka, used that phrase to develop Mightier before creating a mobile game and browser game. Their first commercially successful game, though, was Papers, Please, propelling Pope into indie dev stardom.
Iconoclasts – Joakim Sandberg
Joakim Sandberg, who develops his games under the name "Konjak," has actually released six games, though only one of them is still readily available to download. Iconoclasts debuted on Steam's Greenlight program in 2015, though the game had been in development far before that. All the way back in 2012, Sandberg was allowing players to try out an alpha demo.
It wasn't until 2018 that the Metroidvania platformer hit virtual shelves. Pulling on his experience developing for the Game Boy Advance, Sandberg created a game that feels ripped straight out of the handheld's days, just with updated visuals. With his time at WayFoward, Sandberg worked on games like Contra IV and X-Men 3.
Braid – Johnathan Blow
Johnathan Blow has a long history in the video games industry, though not one directly working on games. After porting Doom to a set-top box, Blow founded a game studio in 1996, which went bust a few years later. With assets at the ready, Blow worked with IBM to turn the game he and his team created into a demo for the Cell processor, the computing unit featured in the PlayStation 3.
Although the demo was successful, the full game was not. Blow found himself in Thailand in 2004, $40,000 in debt with a stroke of inspiration. He created a time manipulation puzzle platformer demo, which would eventually turn into Braid. Upon release, the game quickly became the starchild for indie titles on console, eventually funding Blow's next project, The Witness.
Axiom Verge – Thomas Happ
Axiom Verge started as a side project for Petroglyph Games engineer Thomas Happ. Petroglyph Games is best known for its work on real-time strategy games like Star Wars: Empire at War and Grey Goo. Starting in 2010, however, Happ began work on Axiom Verge, hoping to release it that same year. It wouldn't be until 2015 that the game would see the light of day, though.
Instead of just a small homage to Metroid, Axiom Verge turned into a true spiritual successor. Following the release on PC in 2015, the game has since been ported to countless other systems, including the Switch, Wii U, Vita, and PlayStation 4.
The post The best games developed by a single person appeared first on Destructoid. |
TGN – Tabletop Gaming News Monday, February 24, 2025 4:41 PM Warhammer 40,000 fans have much to look forward to next week with the arrival of the Emperor's Children Army Set, alongside new releases for the Aeldari and a special edition novel featuring Lucius the Eternal. Emperor's Children Army Set: Champions of Slaanesh The Emperor's Children Army Set introduces 33 new miniatures, showcasing the legion's distinctive... |
TGN – Tabletop Gaming News Monday, February 24, 2025 4:33 PM Modiphius Entertainment has unveiled its latest wave of Fallout releases, introducing new creatures, rules, and gameplay options for fans of Fallout: Wasteland Warfare and Fallout: Factions. Following January's releases, such as Floaters and Radtoads, February's lineup focuses on cryptids and expanded gameplay content. New Creatures: Megasloth and Snallygasters This month's releases feature two new creatures:... |
TGN – Tabletop Gaming News Monday, February 24, 2025 4:19 PM Steamforged Games has announced its acquisition of the board game based on Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege. The game, titled 6: Siege – The Board Game, will be reprinted and expanded with new content. Pre-orders for the updated version will begin on February 27th. Originally inspired by Ubisoft's tactical first-person shooter, Rainbow Six Siege, the... |
TGN – Tabletop Gaming News Monday, February 24, 2025 4:05 PM On May 1st, Our Queen Crumbles, a collaborative storytelling game for 2-4 players, will return with a new and revised Hallowed Edition. Originally created by Jason Brown in 2019, the game explores themes of revenge, inevitable death, and farewells, set in the weird-fantasy world of Halloway. The upcoming edition will be available through a BackerKit... |
TGN – Tabletop Gaming News Monday, February 24, 2025 3:57 PM Independent game design studio Gritsilk Games has announced a partnership with Modiphius Entertainment, a well-known publisher of tabletop RPGs, to produce and distribute RipCrypt, a new dungeon sprint tabletop roleplaying game. The game is designed to be easy to learn and quick to play, appealing to both new players and experienced RPG enthusiasts. The collaboration... |
TGN – Tabletop Gaming News Monday, February 24, 2025 3:48 PM Magpie Games has released Urban Shadows Second Edition, an urban fantasy tabletop roleplaying game now available for purchase on DriveThruRPG. This updated edition builds on the original game, offering a refined experience that draws from nearly a decade of playtesting and feedback. Designed to be accessible to new players while satisfying longtime fans, the game... |
TGN – Tabletop Gaming News Monday, February 24, 2025 3:43 PM Alchemy RPG, in partnership with Modiphius Entertainment, has announced the launch of the FALLOUT: The Complete Collection for Alchemy VTT Humble Bundle, with proceeds going toward relief efforts for communities affected by recent wildfires in California. The bundle will be available from February 20 through March 13, offering fans of tabletop roleplaying games a chance... |
TGN – Tabletop Gaming News Monday, February 24, 2025 3:37 PM During MagicCon Chicago, Wizards of the Coast revealed plans for a new crossover book that will bring the Magic: The Gathering setting of Lorwyn-Shadowmoor to the Dungeons & Dragons universe. The announcement marks the latest collaboration between the two popular franchises, following previous crossovers such as Ravnica and Theros. The news was shared briefly during... |
WGB Monday, February 24, 2025 12:18 PM Ethan Evans discusses Amazon's failures in competing with Steam, emphasizing misjudged consumer habits, inadequate validation of assumptions, and Steam's unique integration of features that cemented its loyal user base. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, February 24, 2025 4:48 PM A trailer was also released. The post Buckshot Roulette Coming to Xbox Series appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, February 24, 2025 4:34 PM A trailer was also released. The post Balatro 'Friends of Jimbo (Pack 4)' Update Available Now appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, February 24, 2025 4:08 PM The video provides a brief summary of the story. The post Lies of P DLC Overture Gets New Story Trailer appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Monday, February 24, 2025 3:56 PM Afterwards, it will no longer be playable. The post Dauntless Will Officially End Service appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
MonsterVine Monday, February 24, 2025 4:15 PM The rock-and-roll dream comes with a price, and Rockbeasts—the newly announced band-management narrative RPG from Lichthund and Team17 Digital—is all about making those hard choices. Announced today, Rockbeasts is set to launch in 2025, throwing players into the chaotic world of grimy 1993 dive bars, ambitious musicians, and the eternal struggle between art and selling […] |
MonsterVine Monday, February 24, 2025 4:00 PM If you're into quirky RPG adventures with turn-based combat and time manipulation, then Maliki: Poison of the Past should be on your radar. Developer Blue Banshee and publisher Ankama have dropped a free demo as part of Steam Next Fest, running from February 24 to March 3, 2025. Check out the behind-the-scenes video A Comic […] |
MonsterVine Monday, February 24, 2025 3:45 PM Don't Nod has officially unveiled The Lonesome Guild, a top-down, single-player action RPG developed by Tiny Bull Studios, during ID@Xbox IGN Fan Fest. Set in a world plagued by an encroaching mist, the game focuses on building connections, both in combat and through its branching narrative. The Lonesome Guild is set to release in fall […] |
MonsterVine Monday, February 24, 2025 3:30 PM Blendo Games (Quadrilateral Cowboy) is back with another ingenious immersive sim, and this time, it's bringing barefoot sneaky chaos to space. Skin Deep officially launches on April 30 for PC via Steam, but you can get an early taste right now thanks to a free demo as part of Steam Next Fest. Watch the new […] |
MonsterVine Monday, February 24, 2025 12:00 PM Bandai Namco has dropped a brand-new gameplay trailer for Bleach Rebirth of Souls, giving fans their first look at the Primera Espada, Coyote Starrk, in action. The dual-pistol-wielding Hollow brings lightning-fast attacks and devastating energy blasts to the battlefield, and his new trailer highlights his ranged dominance and effortless combat style. Watch Coyote Starrk's gameplay […] |
MonsterVine Monday, February 24, 2025 11:30 AM The action-packed roguelite hack-and-slash Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade is joining Steam Next Fest from February 24 to March 3, giving players a fresh opportunity to experience its fast-paced, demon-slaying combat before its April 24 launch. Developer 7Quark and publisher Game Source Entertainment have expanded the demo, introducing new maps, fresh seasonal environments, and […] |